"The Extreme Makeover: Florham Park Edition begins with a return to the past for the Jets' offense.

Tony Sparano, whose reputation as a no-nonsense disciplinarian may be exactly what the Jets need these days, conveyed his simple philosophy designed to breathe life into a disjointed offense. Gang Green's new offensive coordinator left little doubt that Rex Ryan's team will have clear offensive identity in 2012. Sparano's offense will put a premium on running the ball, protecting Mark Sanchez and taking timely shots down the field, a departure from Brian Schottenheimer's complex system.

"Certainly I come in with a little different system and a little different style than maybe Brian had," Sparano said on Friday. "I am a guy that believes that you have to form an identity. I want our players to be able to walk into the meeting room and not be surprised about some of the things that are going to be in the game plan each week."

Translation: Sparano doesn't subscribe to the more-is-better philosophy. The Jets will ditch the high-volume approach that defined Schottenheimer's system, focusing on perfecting a core set of principles. A sustained commitment to the "ground and pound" philosophy that helped the Jets thrive in 2009 and 2010 will be the foundation.

"We're definitely like-minded coaches," Ryan said. "We believe in running the football and protecting the quarterback. When the weather is tough in this type of area, you have to be able to run the football. If you can't I think you struggle to win games.""